One Month Away: The Science Behind the Total Solar Eclipse

It will be a sight to behold from coast to coast. The first total solar eclipse to stretch from the Pacific to the Atlantic since 1918 is only about one month away, and the Carolinas will have a front row seat.

Author:
Tim Buckley , WFMY

Published:
6:01 AM EDT July 24, 2017

Updated:
6:01 AM EDT July 24, 2017

GREENSBORO, NC -- It will be a sight to behold from coast to coast. The first total solar eclipse to stretch from the Pacific to the Atlantic since 1918 is only about one month away, and the Carolinas will have a front row seat.

When? The solar eclipse will cross the country on Monday, August 21st. Here in the Triad, the partial eclipse will start after 1pm, with the sun becoming more than 90% covered by the moon at 2:42pm. The eclipse will subside over the following hour.

Where? All of the Piedmont will be treated to a spectacular view of the partial solar eclipse. To see the total solar eclipse, you'll need to travel south into the path of totality. This stretches diagonally across South Carolina along a 70 mile wide path including Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina is clipped as well.

What? The moon will block the sun, leading to a complete darkness along the path of totality in SC. The temperature will even drop in these areas. In the Piedmont, most of the sun's light will be blocked, but not all, leading to a dimmer sky.

This is a rare sight. A total eclipse only covers a narrow path across the Earth because of the moon's relative small size to the sun. That means only a small fraction of the globe gets to see each total eclipse.